Theme Camps are the lifeblood of SOAK.
Applications are now open!
To receive placement, camps must meet the criteria below for their camp category. Camps must also be in good standing after the event. You can read the criteria to be in good standing. SOAK Producers and Leads reserve the right to make decisions on the criteria and standing of camps outside of the criteria listed below.
Placement Timeline
For updates about the placement timeline and upcoming deadlines, please bookmark this sheet!
All Camps at SOAK
All camps at SOAK must agree to adhere to the Good Standing Criteria as a prerequisite to being placed at SOAK.
Camps must submit a Camp Placement Application (available here) before the deadline, which is in mid February.
If you are volunteering for a SOAK Department, you can request a Work Support Camp for your group’s reserved camping. At least half of the campers must be active volunteers. Resources such as Early Arrival Passes for volunteers are provided by respective Department Leads (not by Placement.) Any eligible volunteer may fill out the Placement Application for a Work Support Camp, and Work Support camps can be a mixture of volunteers from more than one department. Work Support Camps do not need to be interactive and are not placed on high traffic roads. They are also not listed on the map.
Art Support Camp
For more information on Art Support Camps, visit this page.
Vehicles in Camp
All vehicles that do not have an RV pass, a Support Vehicle pass, an ADA approval, or are a registered Mutant Vehicle can not park in your camp and must park in the designated lot outside of the main event.
RVs: If you wish to camp with your RV, camper trailer, bus conversion, or truck-mounted camper, you must purchase a RV/Trailer Pass. Camping in an unmodified passenger vehicle is not allowed. People without a proper RV/Trailer Pass will be turned away at the Gate.
Support Vehicles: Support Vehicles should be actively integrated into the camp infrastructure and interactivity. Support vehicles must be registered and have a pass displayed to be parked in your camp. Support vehicles are not a replacement for an RV and cannot be used for living in as an RV. Please get an RV pass for your vehicle if you are planning on sleeping in it.
Please indicate in your camp application form what make and model your Support Vehicle is and why it is integral to the infrastructure and interactivity of your camp. Approval for Support Vehicles are limited to the discretion of SOAK Placement and Producers. Placement will reach out after reviewing your Support Vehicle request within your camp placement application.
Common reasons we will not approve a Support Vehicle pass:
Storage for X and Y
In case it rains
To tie a tent or shade cloth to
Other reasons that don’t fall under integral to infrastructure and interactivity – decided by Placement and Producers.
SOAK’s ADA Request Form is open on the Forms Page.
For information on Mutant Vehicles, visit: http://soakpdx.com/mutant-vehicles/
How to Join A Theme Camp
START LOCAL. If there's a local burner community, there may already be camps you can connect with. Bonuses include being able to help them with year-round activities and going to local burns.
Caveat: not everyone is privileged to be in a major city with a vibrant burner community. If you can't find a local camp, there are plenty of camps that either are open to adding non-locals, or who already have campers from all over the place. You can find existing communities by joining social media pages searching by [location]+Burners, such as the Portland Burners Facebook Page, making a post, and attending local events such as Woosday.
CONTRIBUTE. Think about what skills you can bring to help build the community you're looking for. This could be building/providing infrastructure, supporting/creating in-camp events, and more!
KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. What intention do you want to focus on for your first SOAK? If you want to prioritize listening to music and dancing, a camp focused on healing arts and massage may not be a good fit. If you're low-key & looking for deep connection, then a large bar camp may not contribute to your intention set. Not every camp will be a match for your logistical needs, your personality, and the way you want to burn, so it's best to figure that out before reaching out.
EXPRESS WHO YOU ARE. Knowing if a camp culture is a good fit is a two-way street. Be authentic with your presentation to a prospective camp! This could look like "I am a 32-year-old cis-female-identifying lesbian, native of Michigan now living in Portland. I work in healthcare and have lots of experience building infrastructure and carpentry in my free time. I value human connection and creating space for others to explore their passions. My hobbies include hiking, camping, volunteering, and leaving rubber duckies in unsuspecting places."
BE TRAVEL-FLEXIBLE. Camps looking for folks, especially if they have tickets to allocate, are very likely looking for people who can come early or stay late to be part of the transportation, build, or strike. Make sure you have the bandwidth to contribute to the theme camp’s mission before signing up!